Michael Kaelin

English 1010
T,R 1:00-2:20
Synthesis/Exploration

Being a college student myself, the debate about blue collar and white collar careers is
very much a concern. There are some blue collar workers who slowly move up the ranks
through hard work and dedication, reaching higher levels of responsibility and financial
stability. Some even move up to become owners/managers of corporations and large
companies. For example, in an article by Kelly Brian called "Is College Still Worth It", Brian
brings up the example of billionaire Bill Gates. A college dropout, he has become one of the
richest men in America, through his own hard work and knowledge of computers. Some people
think that too many people are attending college, and that college is not worth the time, effort,
and expense--thousands in student debt. So which career path is better in this day and age? Is it
better gain experience through blue collar occupations hoping to eventually reach a well paying
job? Or is the wiser path to seek a college education?
Through recent research on blue and white collar occupations and mobility within those
occupations, I have found little evidence that very many blue collar (workers without college
education) achieve levels of responsibility and financial success compared to workers with a
college education (white collar workers). While it is still possible to find a successful career

through blue collar occupations, I have found that the odds are not in your favor. There are
different views on what it means to become "successful". Depending on an individuals values
and life status they might find a low income blue collar occupation to be successful in their
lifes. Some measure success by how happy they are with their financial status, or current
lifestyle status. After researching many different views I have come to the belief that to be
successful is to be financially stable, and to have the ability to make educated life decisions
through critical thinking.
After mentioning that Bill Gates path to success, Brian brings a piece of information to
our attention. Before Gates dropped out of Harvard, he met some of the men in his college
dorm who helped him start Microsoft. So Brian argues that future financial success is not the
only benefit of attending college. Through experiences in the dorms and clubs, for example,
college offers many benefits to counter the large expense. Another article by Collegexpress
magazine, goes hand-in-hand with Brians views. Xpress magazine explores ways to get much
more out of your college experience than just a degree.
Through my research I found that the two biggest reasons to not attend college are the
large amounts of debt that may need to be taken on, and the myth that too many people are
attending college and there aren't opportunities for college graduates any more. A study done
by economists Christopher Avery and Sarah Turner concluded that the average cost of a degree
is negative $500,000. This value is roughly double what it was three years ago, according to
David Leonhardt in his recent article, Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say. In other
words, since the median pay for college graduates is higher, on average, these higher incomes
come out to roughly $500,000, after paying off college debt. In the same article, Leonhardt

points out that the pay gap between white collar and blue collar occupations, is growing. If too
many people were attending college, the pay gap would be shrinking.
In defense of blue collar occupations, I did come across a news story that interviewed
college educated individuals living in Taiwan who, in search of jobs or better job satisfaction,
switched to blue collar occupations. The video Swapping White Collar for Blue by Cindy Sui
gave me insight on what job opportunity is like in places other than the USA. Some of these
individuals ended up with the same amount of pay, while others fell to a much lower income
level but experienced more job satisfaction. This shows that not all countries are in need of
college graduates, and blue collar jobs may be a better route for some individuals in countries
like Taiwan.
Today a college education has a very high value. Because of the payouts, benefits, and
knowledge you obtain from a college degree, I have come to the conclusion that a college
education is the route that I will choose, and recommend to others. A college education gives
an individual a better perspective of how the world works. Also median higher wages and
better benefits. But first you must analyze your own life to make sure that a college education
is right for you. There are many ways to make a living in this world but I have found that it is
important to do something you enjoy. But if you are contemplating not going to college
because of cost, or job availability, I would recommend you attend. It will pay off in the long
run. College isnt easy. But if you make it through with hard work, it will turn around and
benefit your life in many ways.

Rose, Mike. "Blue Collar Brilliance." They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in
Academic Writing. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. Print.
Leonhardt, David. "Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say." New York Times
27 May 2014, NYT Now ed., Everyday Economics. Web.
Sui, Cindy. "Swapping White Collar for Blue." Aol.on. N.p., 23 Aug. 2013. Web. 13
Nov. 2014.
Brian, Kelly. "Is College Still Worth It." Ebscohost.com. N.p., 6 Sept. 2010. Web.
13 Nov. 2014.
Xpress, College. "How to Make College Worth It." Ebscohost.com. N.p., Aug.Sept. 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.